Can Laredo learn Portugese & cash in on Brazil's boom? Voce esta insano?

Orden y Progreso: Order & Progress

President Obama is planning his first trip to Brazil this weekend. The South American country of over 200 million people includes about 100 million who are either black or of mixed blood. Yet, Brazil has never had a black presidente and most of it's people are eagerly anticipating Obama's visit. Brazil is also experiencing an economic boom which is creating a well-defined middle class. The following excerpt gives us an idea of  the kind of success Brazil is enjoying.

From Fox News Latino

The Brazilian boom has drifted north and into the United States where places like Florida, reeling from the recent financial implosion, are experiencing the ripple impact from the influx of Brazilian immigrants, tourists, and investors.

"Brazil's influence has grown dramatically," Joachim Bamrud of the Latin Trade Group and Latin Business Chronicle said. "Their economy, their currency is strong. Up 20 percent in the last five years. They can go into an economy like the American one, where there are a lot of opportunities to buy companies and to invest in local industries," he said. "And the Brazilians have the resources and the talent."

In the past year, no other part of the United States has felt the influence of Brazilians as much as the Miami-area. An estimated 800,000 Brazilian visitors came to South Florida last year and spent more than $1 billion in 2010 alone, according to the Greater Miami Visitors Bureau.

With such impressive numbers, can the Gateway City tap into the Brazilian tourist market? I know most Laredoans can master neither English nor Spanish. But we can always half-way learn another language if it means bringing in big bucks. Can you imagine the LCVB's visitor guide in Portugese?